Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, has 20 million people and is famous for its Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Temple of Heaven and its proximity to the Great Wall of China. But that’s not all…

Often, the most enjoyable part of any trip is the unexpected, the adrenaline rush that accompanies a new discovery, cementing it in your memory. Of that, I had plenty. My flight landed six hours late and, because I hadn’t slept much, I headed straight to towards Tiananmen Square for a nap and then to get in the line for entry into the Forbidden City, which was already long at 8am.

A few days later, I heard of a former industrial site that had been converted into an enormous contemporary art space. While not a huge fan of Chinese art, I decided to go without knowing what to expect. The half hour taxi ride and a few wrong turns and detours, I saw it.

Huge wide alleys and gigantic industrial buildings are not uncommon in a city like Beijing. But after a short walk, I reached the ‘converted’ part. My reaction was what you’d expect when you come across an incredible concentration of bookstores, bars, shops, galleries, concert venues, outdoor photo exhibitions, performances and sculptures. A great way to spend a day here is to just take it all in, from its distinct industrial décor to the stark contrast between this and the contemporary art occupying its space.

There is of course, Chinese art; but the 798 Art District, also referred to as the 798 Art Zone, is not limited to that. This space was born from an association of many artists of the city who took advantage of the cheap rent by installing their workshops and ateliers here rather than in the old buildings close to the Summer Palace, where they’d been located since 1984. By 2002, the factory had already taken on a new form and exhibitions began to pass through. Since then, the place has attracted many tourists but also many new artists, from China and abroad.

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Photo report for Shutter Clothing